Chuck Amato,
in his 40th year in the collegiate coaching ranks, including
serving as head coach at North Carolina State and long-time
assistant coach at Florida State, joined the Akron staff in January
2012. He serves as the program's associate head coach and defensive
coordinator.

Amato is one of the most respected coaches and recruiters in
college football and has produced winning football teams and
numerous top draft picks throughout his career. In 2002, he was
elected to the American Football Coaches Association Board of
Trustees.

Amato, 66 (born June 26, 1946), served as head coach at his alma
mater NC State from 2000-06 and posted a 49-37 record while guiding
the program to five bowl appearances (4-1 record in those bowl
games). He led the Wolfpack to their first 11-win season in school
history in 2002 and highest national ranking (No. 12 in the final
Associated Press poll; No. 11 in the final Coaches poll) since
1974, after defeating Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl. The 2004 NC
State squad led the nation in total defense. Additionally under
Amato, quarterback Philip Rivers rewrote the program and ACC record
books in every passing and total offense category. During his
tenure, he had 22 players drafted into the NFL, including five in
the first round.

In 2000, Amato’s NC State squad defeated Minnesota in the
MicronPC.com Bowl, in 2001, lost to Pittsburgh in the Tangerine
Bowl, in 2003 downed Kansas in the Tangerine Bowl, and in 2006
topped South Florida in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Amato spent 21 seasons on the staff at Florida State (1982-1999
and 2007-09). In his most recent stint (2007-09) he served as
executive head coach to then-head coach Bobby Bowden. From 1982-95
he coached the defensive line, 1996-99 the linebackers and from
1986-99 also served as assistant head coach. He was part of 10 ACC
championship teams and two national championship squads (1993 and
1999). Six of his Seminole players were selected in the NFL Draft's
first round and 24 defensive players overall that he directly
coached were drafted during his FSU tenure.

Amato was also a member of the NC State staff from 1971-79,
serving as graduate assistant (1971-72), defensive secondary coach
(1973-75) and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach (1976-79). He
also coached linebackers at Arizona from 1980-81. His coaching
career began at Easton High School in his hometown of Easton, Pa.,
where he was an assistant coach from 1969-70.

Amato lettered in football (linebacker) and wrestling at NC State,
where he earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1969 and
master's degree in education in 1973. The 1965 football team won an
ACC co-championship and he was captain of the defense in 1967. He
won two ACC titles as a wrestler in 1966 (heavyweight) and 1968
(191-pound weight class).